Refrigerating apparatus



M. J. GOULOOZE 2,062,360

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 30, 1934 INVENTORQ WWW/Y J Gal/mozz- /0 I M 2 M v ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES aarmcsasrmc armnsrus MartinsJ. Gouloole, Grandlitapids, Mich, as- R signor to Kclvinator Corporation, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Detroit, I

ApplicationrMarch' so, 1934'. serial 1m. 118,196:

8Claims. (CI.312,1'73) This invention relates to refrigerators and more particularly to auxiliary shelves or trays therefor and is related to my generic copending application Serial Number 718,187 for Refrigerating apparatus, filed on even date herewith.

It is frequently necessary, when placing articles into or removingthem from a refrigerator, to rearrange the' articles that are in the refrigerator and in doing so to temporarily remove the same. Obviously it then becomes necessary to place the temporarily-removed articles at some other location such as for example a table, which may be inconveniently located at some distance from the 5 position as not to occupy useful space within the refrigerator.

Another object is to provide a refrigerator door having such an auxiliary shelf which when the door is closed, will automatically move from a 30 horizontal article-supporting position toa position which will not occupy any useful space within the refrigerator;

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in certain features of '35 construction and combination of parts to be hereafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and then claimed.

In the drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of the invention;

40 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet, the door being open and having an auxiliary or rearranging shelf mounted thereon, the shelf being shown in its operative article-supporting position;

45 Pig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the shelf in its horizontal position and'showing the means which functions when the door is closed to move the shelf from its horizontal position;

60 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through the refrigerator, the door being shown in closed position and the shelf being shown in its inoperative position; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken approxi- 56 mately on the line H of Fig. 3, with the excepclosed position. I

erring to the accompanying draw which ike numerals referto like parts throughtion, however, that the door is shown in a partially out the several views; I have shown in'Fig. 1 a h, refrigerator cabinet Iii having a hinged door II.

The auxiliary or rearrangingshelf l2 of the present invention is here shown as being in the form of a 'grille like structure. It is to be understood, however, that-the same may be constructed n in any suitablemanner and of any suitable material. Theshelf l2-is hinged to the inner face oftherefrigerator door'by means of hinge clips refrigerator. This oftentimes is a great inconvenience as it consumes time and causes the I 3 which extend'around therear barll of the "shelf and-which are suitably secured to the inner s face ofthe door; 7 Y I In order to provide a suitablemeans for sup porting the shelf in a horizontal position when the door is opened the shelf is provided at its rear side "with depending legs it, such as indicated in Fig. 2, which engage, with the innerface of'the door'and limit the downward swinging movement fof the shelf'i2. If desired, the legs I! may be provided with suitable non-metallic collars l6 disposed to engage withthe inner faceof'the door v and thereby prevent metalto metal'contact. I

The-rearranging shelfof the present inven-- *tion is so arranged that when the door'isbeing closed, the shelf will automatically swing-upwardly from its horizontal position so as to clear the shelves i'l' within the refrigerator, and also so as not to occupy any'of the'useful space with in the refrigerator. In order to provide this 1 catedin Fig. -2, or which may be secured or other- "wise'c'ariiedby the shelf in any other suitable manner. It is preferred, however, that this cam elementbe provided on the shelf I12 'adjacentthe 40' hinged side of the door.

"Secured to the inner wall IQ. of therefrigerator cabinet, and adjacent the hinged sidethereof, is a suitable projecting element lii which is disposed in the path of the cam element. l8." 'Ihisprojecting member extends inwardly from the inner wall I! of the cabinet 9. sufficient-distance to engage with the cam element It before the door-is completely closed, so that during the continued closing movement of the door, the engagement of the cam element It with the projecting member 20 will cause the shelf II to swing upwardly from its horizontal position to an inclined position such as indicated in Fig. 3. When the refrigerator door ilis opened, the shelf it will auto- 66 matically swing downwardly during the opening movement of the door until the depending legs I! thereof engage the inner face of the door and limit the downward movement of the shelf.

It will be noted from the drawing and foregoing description, that the device of the present invention provides a new and useful means accessible as soon as the refrigerator door "is opened, and yet when the door is closed will automatically move to aposition where it will not interfere with the refrigeratorshelves-and will not occupy any of the useful space in the refrigerator.

Aside from the specific embodiment of the invention herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction may be altered or omitted without-departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that I do not desire to limit the invention to the exact construction herein set forth.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a cabinethaving va door opening closed by a door, an auxiliary' shelf hinged to thelnnerface of said doorfor swinging movement from a horizontal to an inclined position, means for supportingsaid shelf in its horizontal position when the door is opened, said shelf having a cam surface and means within said refrigerator disposed in the path of said cam surface to engage said cam surface during the closing movement of said door to move said shelf from its horizontal toits inclined position.

2. In combination, a cabinet having a door opening closed by a door, an auxiliary shelf,

means hingedly connecting said shelf to the inner face of said door for swinging movement from a horizontal to an inclined position, means for supporting said shelf in a horizontal position I when the door is open, a camelement carried by said shelf and a projecting member within said refrigerator disposed in the path of said cam element to engage said cam element during closing movement of said door .and move said shelf from its horizontal to its inclined position.

3. In combination a cabinet havinga door opening closed by a door, an auxiliary shelf, means hingedly connecting said shelf to the inner face of said door for swinging movement from a horizontal to an inclined position, means for supporting said shelf in a horizontal position when the door is open, a cam element carried by said shelf and a projecting member within said refrigerator disposed in the path of saidcam element to engage said cam element during closing movementof said door and move said shelf 'from its horizontal to its inclined position, said supporting means comprising legs projecting below the bottom of said shelf for engagement with the said inner face of said door when said shelf is in its horizontal position. 1

4. In combination, a cabinet having a door opening closed by a door, an auxiliary shelf, means hingedly connecting said shelf to the inner face of said door for swinging movement from a horizontal to an inclined position, means for supporting said shelf in a horizontal position when the door is open, a. cam element carried by said shelf and a projecting member within said refrigerator disposed in the path of said cam element to engage said cam element during closing movement of said door and move said shelf from its horizontal to its inclined position, said supporting. means comprising legs projecting belowthe' bottom of said shelf and nonmetallic members carried by said legs for engagement with the said inner face of said door when said shelf is in its horizontal position.

5. In combination, a cabinet "having a door opening closed by a door, an auxiliary shelf,

means hingedly connecting said shelf to the inner face of .said door for swinging movement from a horizontal tofan inclined position, means for supporting said shelf in a horizontal position when the door is open, a cam element carried by said shelf and a projecting member within said refrigerator disposed in the path of said cam element to engage said cam element during closing movement of said door and move 'said shelf from its horizontal to its inclined position, said supporting ineans comprisinglegs projecting below the bottom of said shelf for engagement with the [said inner face of said door when said shelf is in its horizontal position, said cam element being secured to one of said legs.

6. In combination a cabinet, a door hinged on said cabinet for rotation on a vertical axis, an auxiliary shelf hinged on the inner face of said door, and shelf engageable means for folding said auxiliary shelf flat against the door during the closing movement of the door, said means .disengaging when the door opens to open the shelf to horizontal article receiving position.

7. In combination a cabinet, a door hinged on said cabinet for rotation on a vertical axis, an auxiliary shelf hinged on the inner face of said door, and cam means comprising. cooperative members on said shelf and cabinet engageable for folding said shelf flat against the door during the closing movement of the door and disengageabie for permitting said shelf to open to horizontai article receiving position when the door opens.

8. In combination acabinet, horizontally disposed shelves in said cabinet, a doorway in said cabinet, a vertically hinged door for closing said doorway adjacent said shelves, an auxiliary shelf hinged on the inner face of said door, and means 1 carried into engaging relation for folding said 

